Needle



Oct. 26, 1937. H. s. MORGAN NEEDLE Filed Oct. 29, 1956 W m Qu Patented Oct. 26, 1937 UNETED STATES FFlQ-E NEEDLE Application October 29, 1936, Serial No. 108,262

5 Claims.

This invention relates to a needle of the general type employed in producing handmade articles of the so-called hooked type, including mats, rugs, scarfs or throws for tables and other pieces of furniture, etc., wherein such article is composed of a base or body fabric having, in most instances, a pattern depicted on one face thereof in lines and colors and which is to be reproduced on the opposite face in cut or uncut pile loops, usually of uniform length, composed of yarns of various colors according to the depiction of the pattern on the first said face of the base fabric.

The object of the present invention is to provide a simple inexpensive and highly efiicient needle for producing the face loops on the article, whereby said face loops may be made uniformly to a predetermined length.

Primarily the needle forming the subject matter of the present invention comprises a substantially hollow element, constituting the needle proper, which is provided with an eye at one end and a flared mouth at the opposite end, through which the loop-forming yarn passes. The needle also comprises an outer sleeve arranged to be adjusted longitudinally of the needle and to be locked to the needle at predetermined points with respect to the eye of the needie, to function as a gage for producing loops of uniform length and as a handle for facilitating the manipulation of the needle during the formation of the loops.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the needle element;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the sleeve element, detached from the needle element;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the assembled unit including the needle and the sleeve;

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional elevation taken on the line 44, Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 5-5, Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken on the line 66, Fig. 4; and

Fig, 7 illustrates the needle in use during the formation of one of the face loops.

The needle proper, illustrated at l in Fig. 1, is composed preferably of sheet metal shaped to provide a main body portion 2 of substantially circular cross-section with a longitudinal split, illustrated at 3, formed by the opposite edges 4, 4 of the piece of metal of which the needle I is composed lying in substantially abutting relation to each other, with a small narrow space therebetween. This construction provides for lateral expansion and contraction of the needle body portion 2, whereby said body portion will fit snugly within a bore l formed in a sleeve or handle 5, to prevent looseness between the needle and the handle. Such close resilient fit is or may be effected by making the body portion 2 of slightly larger diameter than the bore 4 and by contracting the body 2 laterally when fitting the needle I into the handle 5, whereafter the inherent resiliency of the metal of which the needle is composed causes the body portion 2 to expand laterally into firm frictional contact with the wall of the bore 4 of the handle 5.

The needle 1 includes a fabric-penetrating portion 6 which extends axially from one end of the body portion 2. As illustrated particularly in Fig. 6, the fabric-piercing portion 6 is of a triangular cross-section and includes a flat back wall section 7 and a pair of wing sections 8, 8 extending from the marginal longitudinal edges of the back section 7! at converging angles, with the edges 4a, 4a of said wing sections separated laterally to provide an open split 3a in alignment with the split 3 in the body portion 2, said triangular cross-section providing a longitudinal channel 9 in axial alignment with the cylindrical passage I 0 of the tubular body portion 2 of the needle I, for passage of the loop-forming yarn a: longitudinally of the needle I.

At one extreme end of the needle I the wings 8, 8, of the triangular fabric-penetrating portion 5 of the needle, are gradually reduced in width, as illustrated at H, to blend into the flat back wall section I, which in turn is gradually reduced in width, as illustrated at l3, to provide a point M, at the extreme end of the needle, for puncturing and penetrating thebase fabric 3 (Fig. '7)

In spaced relation to the fabric-piercing point it of the needle, longitudinally of the-flat back wall section 7, said back wall is provided with an aperture it which constitutes an eye through which the yarn 0: passes.

At the juncture between the body portion 2 of the needle and fabric-penetrating portion 6 thereof the opposite edges of the metal of which the needle I is composed are cut away, as illustrated at ib, ib, to provide an aperture it for facilitating threading of the needle in the manner hereinafter described.

The opposite end of the tubular body portion 2 of the needle I is flared or belled outwardly as indicated at IT, to provide a miniature funnelshaped end on the needle, whereby the yarn :n will feed into and through the needle without binding or catching on the edges of the metal of which the needle is formed at the yarn-receiving end thereof.

Inwardly disposed with respect to the flared end II, the body portion 2 is cut away, as illustrated at |8,'to provide a relatively large opening H! for facilitating the threading of the needle, in the manner hereinafter described.

Intermediate the flared end I! and the threading aperture I9 the edges 40, 4c of the metal of which the needle I is composed lie in relatively close abutting relation to each other, as illus-- trated M40, 40, a suficient distance apart to prevent accidental release of the yarn a: but providing a longitudinal slit 30 through which the yarn a: may be passed as hereinafter described, when threading the needle.

Intermediate the threading openings I6 and IS the edges of the metal of which the needle I is composed are bent outwardly, in substantially parallel relation to each other and extending radially to the axis of the tubular body portion 2, as indicated at 20. These longitudinally extending radial flanges 20 are provided with transversely extending slots or notches 2|, in relatively'spaced relation to each other longitudinally of the needle The upper end of the handle or sleeve is provided with a cap or ferrule 22. The ferrule comprises a cylindrical wall 23, arranged substantially flush with the outer surface of the handle sleeve 5, and a transversely extending head 24, formed integral with the cylindrical wall 23 and spaced from the upper end 25 of the handle sleeve 5 to provide a cavity 26 in the upper end of said handle.

The head 24 of the ferrule 22 is provided with a circular opening 2'1, concentrically disposed with respect to the axis of the bore 4 of the handle 5. At one side, the opening 21 is provided with a notch 28 into which the notched flanges 20, of the body portion 2 of the needle I extend. Aligned with the notch 28, the body portion of the handle 5, in one side of the bore 4, is provided with a longitudinal groove 29 into which the flanges 20, 20 may pass during relative axial movement between the needle I and the handle 5, when setting the needle to produce a loop of predetermined size, as will be hereinafter described.

The flanges 20 on the needle I form a key or feather which cooperates with the groove 29 in the handle 5 and with the notch 28 in theferrule 22 to prevent relative rotation between the needle and the handle.

Mounted in the cavity 26 in the one end of the handle 5 is a locking device 3|] by which relative axial movement between the handle 5 and needle I is prevented, after adjusting has been made between the two to produce loops of a given size. a

The locking element 3|! comprises a plate 3| disposed substantially transversely of the handle 5 and provided with an elongated slot 32 through which the body portion .2 of the needle I extends. That portion of the plate lying at and constituting one end 33 of the slot 32 is arranged to enter the notches 2| in the locking key flanges 20 of the needle I.

The locking plate 3| is of such shape, size and form and is arranged within the cavity 26 in such a manner that relative movement between the elements, axially of the needle unit, will be prevented. The construction is such that transverse movement of the plate 3|, relative to the needle I and handle 5 may be hadto disengage the edge 33 of the plate 3| from the notches 2| in the needle I, whereby axial adjustment between the handle 5 and needle I may be effected.

The needle-locking edge 33 of the plate 3| is normally maintained in one of the notches 2| by a spring tongue 34, which is formed on one end of the plate 3| and bent at an angle relative to the general plane of said plate, with the free end of the tongue bearing against the inner wall of the cylindrical portion 23 of the ferrule 22.

Diametrically opposite the tongue 34 the plate 3| is reduced in width and bent to provide a butten 35. The button 35 projects through an aperture 35 formed in one side of the cylindrical Wall 23 of the ferrule 22 and extends beyond said circular wall so that by pressing the button 35 inwardly against the opposing pressure of the tongue 34 the edge 33 of the plate 3| is released from the notch 2| on the needle I.

The metal of which the plate 3| and tongue 34 are composed is of such an inherently resilient nature that, upon release of the button 35, the tongue 34 will function to return the locking plate 3| into locking engagement with one of the notches 2| brought into alignment with the looking plate 3| by relative axial movement between the sleeve 5 and needle I.

The opposite end of the handle 5 is provided with a ferrule 31 which includes a cylindrical wall 38 arranged substantially flush with the outer surface of the handle 5. The ferrule 31 includes a transversely extending head 39 which is formed integral with the cylindrical wall 38. The head 39 is provided with a central opening 40 in axial alignment with the bore 4 of the handle 5. for passage of the fabric-penetrating portion 6 of the needle I.

The head 39 functions as an adjustable gage to determine the length of the loops to be formed,

the distance between the eye |5 in the needle I and the underside of the head 39 controlling the length of the loop, as illustrated in Fig 7, wherein it is shown that in passing the needle I through the fabric 1/ the eye l5 of the needle I carries the yarn a: with the needle until the head 39 comes to rest on the upper side of the fabric y, or against the bends in the yarn a: lying on the back face of the fabric y.

It will be readily seen that by adjusting the handle 5 axially of the needle I, the distance between the eye l5 and the gage 39 may be varied at willto produce loops m (Fig. '7 of any desired length, within the range determined by the spacing of the notches 2| in the key flanges 20.

Usually the base fabric y is composed of burlap. However, in other instances tougher materials, such as light-weight canvas, are or can be employed. In either case the fabric presents a fair amount of resistance to penetration by the needle I, requiring that the needle be firmly gripped in the fingers of the hand of the operator. Needles heretofore have been formed with a straight cylindrical handle, requiring that the fingers be maintained under relatively high tension in order to grip'the cylindrical handle sufficiently firm to prevent slipping of the fingers on the handle, in forcing the needle through the base fabric. Such tension on the fingers after a relatively short period of continuous manipulation of the needle tires the operator and frequently causes a cramp in the muscles of the forearm. In order to pre- 'vent this condition the handle 5, in the present case, is provided with an annular extension 50, adjacent the gage 39. The extension 50 is shaped in such a manner, as illustrated at 5|, to present and easily curved surface for engagement by the ends of the fingers and thumb, for example, as illustrated in Fig. 3, whereby sufficient axial pressure may be exerted against the needle to effect penetration without requiring the handle being tightly gripped between the fingers, whereby the tension on the fingers is relatively light and the tiring effect on the forearm is prevented. The

iameter of the handle 5, immediately above the abutment reduced in size to such portions that the needle may be held and operated much like a pencil.

Due to the character of the yarn :1: usually employed in making articles of the kind noted, which yarn is usually of a relatively soft looselytwisted nature and rather unstable longitudinally thereof, the construction of the needle and handle, as above noted, provides for easy threading of the needle with said yarn and to this end the needle is preferably removed from the handle, as illustrated in Fig. 1. One end of the yarn is passed into the upper threading aperture l9 and by pushing the yarn into said opening, with the above noted end of the yarn confined in the hollow body 2, said end of said yarn will slide readily through said cylindrical body 2 to the threading aperture 95. The end of the yarn will project outwardly through said opening l6 where it may be readily gripped by the fingers and drawn outwardly from said opening to an extent greater than the distance between the opening it and the point M of the needle. The end of the yarn may then be readily threaded through the eye I5 of the needle, with the portion of the yarn which is lying between the opening l6 and the eye l5 disposed outside the triangu ar fabric-piercing end 6 of the needle. Due to the relatively soft character of the yarn this portion'thereof may then be passed, without injury, through the longitudinal slit 3a in the piercing portion 5 to the channel 9.

Preferably the proportions of the channel 9 are such that the yarn will be held snugly between the flat back wall 1 and the converging side wings S, S of the piercing section 6. It will be noted, however, that these proportions are not such that the wings would produce any binding or frictional effect on the yarn which would present any retarding effect to the passage of the yarn or cause any tension on the yarn passing through the channel 9 during the manipulation of the needle.

With the needle threaded in the above noted manner the yarn is then snapped through the slit to in the upper end of the needle, from the threading opening !9 into the flared mouth ll of. the needle, in the manner illustrated in Fig. 1. The needle may then be inserted into the handle 5.

The relative shape and proportion between the triangular piercing portion 6 of the needle and the bore 4 of the handle 5 providesa space 49 into which the protruding end portion x of the thread cc automatically moves and accommodates itself as the needle is moved downwardly through the handle 5. By pressing the button 35 inwardly the needle may be moved to the desired position with respect to the handle to set the gage 39 at the required distance from the eye l5 to produce the desired length of loop, then, by rel-easing the button 35, the locking plate 3! will move into the aligned notch Z! and lock the handle 5 in fixed relation to the needle I, whereby all of the loops x will be of a uniform length.

Inordcr that the yarn will not bind in the eye I5, the metal which is punched out of the back wall l remains connected to said back wall along the top edge of the opening and is bent inwardly and upwardly into contact with the inner surface of the wall I as shown in Fig. '7 to provide a rounded edge 52 at the upper end of the opening l5 around'which the yarn x bends.

In some instances the needle may be threaded by passing one end of the yarn through the eye l5 and then laying the yarn longitudinally of the needle over the outside of the slot composed of the parts 3, 3a and 3c and which combined extend uninterruptedly from the eye IE to and through the opposite flared end I? of the needle i, then, by passing the yarn laterally of the needle into the slot the yarn will passfrom the exterior of the needle into the interior yarn passageway in the needle which is formed by the channel 9 in the fabric-penetrating portion 6 and the hollow center of the body portion 2 and which also extends uninterruptedly from end to end of the needle l. The lateral movement of the yarn into the interior passageway of the needle may be facilitated by longitudinally reciprocating the yarn while applying pressure thereto in the direction laterally of the needle toward the axis thereof.

I claim:

1. A looping needle provided with an interior yarn passage-way extending longitudinally therein and substantially from end to end thereof, said needle comprising a body portion, a fabric-penetrating portion projecting longitudinally from, one end of said body portion with a yarn eye adjacent the remote end of said penetrating portion,

a sleeve slidably mounted on the body portion of the needle with the yarn eye end of the needle projecting beyond one end of the sleeve, said end of said sleeve functioning as a gage for determining the extent of "ation of the fabric by the fabric-piercing end of the needle, a rib extending longitudinally of said needle and slidably mounted in a groove formed in the bore of said sleeve to prevent relative rotation therebetween, a series of notches formed in said rib in spaced relation to each other longitudinally of said needle, and means carried by the sleeve and arranged to enter one of said notches to retain the gage on the sleeve in predetermined spaced relation to the eye in the needle.

2. A looping needle provided with an interior yarn passageway extending longitudinally therein and substantially from end to end thereof, saidneedle comprising a. body portion, a fabric-penetrating portion projecting longitudinally from one end of said body portion with a yarn eye adjacent the remote end of said penetrating portion,

.a sleeve slidably mounted on the body portion of the needle with the yarn eye end of the needle projecting beyond one end of the sleeve, said end of said sleeve functioning as a gage for determining the extent of penetration of the fabric by the fabric-piercing end of the needle, a rib extending longitudinally of said needle and slidably mounted in a groove formed in the bore of said sleeve to prevent relative rotation therebetween, a series of notches formed in said rib in spaced relation to each other longitudinally of said needle, a locking plate carried by and extending transversely of the sleeve for entrance into one of said notches to maintain the eye of the needle in predetermined spaced relation to the gage on the sleeve, means for resiliently pressing said plate in one direction to effect said entrance, and means on the plate for moving said plate in the opposite direction to release said needle.

3. A looping needle provided with an interior yarn passageway extending longitudinally therein and substantially from end to end thereof, said needle comprising a body portion, a fabric-penetrating portion projecting longitudinally from one end of said body portion with a yarn eye adjacent the remote end of said penetrating portion, a sleeve slidably mounted on the body portion of the needle with the yarn eye end of the needle projecting beyond one end of the sleeve, said end of said sleeve functioning as a gage for determining the extent of penetration of the'fabric by the fabric-piercing end of the needle, a rib extending longitudinally of said needle and slidably mounted in a groove formed in the bore of said sleeve to prevent relative rotation therebetween, a series of notches formed in said rib in spaced relation to each other longitudinally of said needle, a locking plate carried by and extending transversely of the sleeve for entrance into one of said notches to maintain the eye of the needle in predetermined spaced relation to the gage on the sleeve, a spring tongue on said plate and bearing on one side of the sleeve to move the plate in a notch-engaging direction, and a button on the plate for moving said plate in a needle-releasing direction.

4. A looping needle provided with an interior yarn passageway extending longitudinally therein and substantially from end to end thereof, said needle comprising a body portion, a fabric-penetrating portion projecting longitudinally from one end of said body portion with a yarn eye adjacent the remote end of said penetrating portion, a sleeve slidably mounted on the body portion of the needle with the yarn eye end of the'needle projecting beyond one end of the sleeve, said end of said sleeve functioning as a gage for determining the extent of penetration of the fabric by the fabric-piercing end of the needle, a rib extending longitudinally of said needle and slidably mounted in a groove formed in the bore of said sleeve to prevent relative rotation therebetween, a series of notches formed in said rib in spaced relation to each other longitudinally of said needle, a locking plate carried by and extending transversely of the sleeve for entrance into one of said notches to maintain the eye of the needle in predetermined spaced relation to the gage on the sleeve, a spring tongue on said plate and bearing on one side of the sleeve to move the plate in a notch-engaging direction, a button on the plate for moving said plate in a needle-releasing direction, and a cup-shaped ferrule onthe end of the sleeve opposite the end constituting the gage and enclosing said locking plate and spring tongue and provided with an aperture through which the release button projects.

5. A looping needle provided with an interior yarn passageway extending longitudinally therein and substantially from end to end thereof, said needle comprising a body portion, a fabric-penetrating portion projecting longitudinally from. one endof said body portion with a yarn eye adjacent the remote end of said penetrating portion, said needle having a slot of lesser Width than said interior yarn passage extending substantially fro-m said eye to the opposite end of said needle and affording communication between said interior yarnpassageway and the exterior of the needle for passage of said yarn laterally of the needle into said interior yarn passageway, a

flange on the needle at at least one side of said slot, a series of notches in saidflange and spaced apart longitudinally of said needle, a sleeve slidably rncuntedon said needle and provided with a grooved bore for receiving the needle and said flange, a locking plate extending transversely of and carried by said sleeve and arranged to enter one of the notches in said flange, a. ferrule on one end of the sleeve enclosing said locking plate, a spring tongue on said plate and engaging one side of the ferrule, and a button formed on the plate and extending through an opening formed in said ferrule-for operating the locking plate against opposition exerted by said spring tongue.

HARRY S. MORGAN. 

